Never Far Behind
by Olive Tree Hugger
Summary: And I will be here, waiting. /jariel/ Jim&Ariel/


**Well, I never thought I'd do this, but I fell in love with a Disney crossover couple. How lovely. I'm a big fan of Disney films, especially Tangled, Mulan, Hercules and the Little Mermaid. And I was watching some crossover MEPs on Youtube when I came across one for Jim and Ariel. I wasn't yet familiar with the glorious being that is Jim Hawkins, but I watched the video (Impossible-Jim and Ariel) and LOVED it. I am so 100% in love with the pairing. It's so cute!**

* * *

She was the first to wake, so she thought. It was early morning in Montressor, the cloudy atmosphere settling over the ground like an ominous fog. Ariel loved the landscape of this new planet. The red head felt bubbly and happy that morning, as she usually did. She was still in her pink, frilly nightgown when she skipped downstairs. In her mind, she was already planning the day. She and Sarah would cut the work load in half –splitting chores, of course. Then they would sit and drink tea together. Sarah would tell her stories of her childhood on earth, as she sometimes did. And Ariel would tell her about all the adventures she had in the sea. Ariel was still getting used to living on a new planet. She had just gotten used to her human legs and now she was in a place where there were no humans but the Hawkins family. It was unnerving, but also learning experience.

Helping Sarah run the inn taught her how to clean, cook, and socialize. She even picked up a few economic tips from listening to Jim bargain with patrons. Speaking of Jim, he'd promised her that later they'd go swimming when he saw that she'd missed the ocean. Ariel had every reason to feel bubbly and happy today. She wanted to giggle and hop in excitement.

However, when she got to the kitchen threshold, she immediately hid behind the door. She'd seen Jim and his mother standing face to face, shouting at each other about something. Jim's voice, deeper and much more sarcastic, was cutting through the air in short and angry bursts. Sarah's voice was softer, more pleading and sad.

"I don't know where you got this, but I'm destroying it."

A ruffle of paper, a gasp. "Jim, that's the only way you can find him!"

"I don't _want_ to find him!"

"Four years ago you would've given anything to find him!"

"Because I was traumatized! But I'm not anymore, I don't need him in my life. I'm done thinking about him!"

"Well, I'm not! I want to know where he is!"

A thud, like a chair was knocked over. Another crinkle of paper like it was being ripped from someone's hands. "Probably drunk with his face buried between some sweaty slut's tits."

Both Sarah and Ariel gasped at Jim's vulgar words. "James Hawkins!" Sarah cried out angrily. "You will not speak like that in this house!"

The two carried on for quite some time, leaving Ariel to think to herself, Who are they talking about? Why doesn't Jim like him? Her brain was begging her to leave before Jim found her eavesdropping. How many times had she gotten her tail spanked for sneaking in on her father's council meetings? Too many to be repeated, even if she didn't have a tail anymore.

She bit her lip, contemplating whether or not she should stay. After all, she really wanted to know who they were talking about. And Ariel was a curious woman, no shark, king of the sea or green-eyed spacer could stop her from doing what she wanted. As Ariel flip-flopped between the two prospects, Jim and Sarah continued raging inside.

"I am your mother, Jim!"

"But your judgment is clouded. He abandoned us and you still want to find him? Have you gone completely nuts?"

Sarah shouted now, her voice straining, "I want to ask him _**why!"**_

Ariel snapped out of her thoughts to hear Sarah's voice crack as she screamed the last word, the sound melting into sobs. The red head craned her neck back past the threshold, trying to see what had transpired. She caught glimpse of Sarah leaning over the sink, crying softly, whilst Jim stood over to the side, his green eyes staring at the floor in shame.

Absent-mindedly, Ariel sighed. Jim must have heard her because he looked up and they locked eyes for a moment. Her heart started to race as she quickly recovered, brashly moving back to her spot. But it backfired, because not only did Jim peer from the doorway and _find _her, she also screeched in surprise and stumbled backwards, falling into a barrel behind her.

"Ariel?" Jim's voice inquired, "What…what are you doing?"

As the red head tried to get out—which was fruitless, by the way, she called out, "Nothing! I-I was just going to make some t-tea and start the chores for the day!"

Jim could barely hear Ariel's muffled excuses, and he grew bored of seeing her pale legs wiggling and kicking from the top of the barrel, so he tapped it on the side to gain her attention. He leaned beside it and called, "I'm tipping it over now, OK?"

A muffled "OK!" came in response. Jim stood back up and slowly, carefully dipped it onto its side. Ariel squeaked when it finally touched the floor, scrambling and shimmying her way out of her little prison. Jim watched, rolling his eyes and biting back a chuckle. He would've laughed if he hadn't been so angry.

When Ariel clambered up, she stared at him with her clear blue eyes, a pinkish tinge just settling against her cheeks. He glared at her, asking, "What did you hear?"

Ariel shrugged wordlessly, trying to look innocent as possible. "Nothing," she replied a bit quickly, "Like I said, I came down for some work and tea." She giggled nervously.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Jim gave her a disapproving, unconvinced stare.

She knew she couldn't hide it for long, so she confessed, "Most of it. About this…mystery man you don't want to find. And Sarah crying…." She sighed guiltily, watching his expression.

Jim stood awkwardly there for a few moments, thinking. Ariel wished she could crawl into his head and understand him. He could be so quiet and confusing. Finally, Jim looked up at her and muttered, "My mother and I were discussing this." He reached into the pocket of his jacket and tossed her a crumpled piece of paper. Ariel caught it with the tips of her fingers, asking, "What…?"

"It's a map to my father's location," he explained.

"Your father?" Ariel echoed. She looked down at the ball of paper and unwrinkled it, trying to deduce what the markings and writing meant. As she studied it, she asked, "So why don't you want it?"

Jim scoffed, "Because my father is worthless scum, that's why."

He started to trudge away, past the kitchen where his mother stood crying pitifully, past Ariel who stood, perplexed. She stared back down at the map, wondering why Jim thought his father was…how'd he put it? Ah…scum. Jim's father was allegedly scum. But Ariel wasn't so sure that Jim was thinking clearly.

She went after him, nearly running, her nightgown hitching upwards. She exited the lower quarters, finally climbing onto the roof of the inn into the foggy atmosphere of the morning. She found him leaning against the edge, playing with Morph, the bubbly pink blob encircling Jim's head and shoulders and gurgling. Normally, Ariel thought the little pet was adorable, but now she needed to speak with Jim—_alone._

Her hands planted on her hips, her feet barefoot, and her heart heavy, she said, "Morph."

Both Jim and the pet turned at the sound of her voice. The cute pink blob floated over to her, his entire body dipping up and down like a cup of Jell-O about to spill. He sputtered out to her, morphing into her visage. Ariel narrowed her eyes at him, uttering, "I have to speak to Jim, privately. Can you go wait for us downstairs? Go cheer up Mrs. Hawkins."

Intrigued, Morph gurgled "OK" to her and floated below. Satisfied, Ariel turned her attention to the spacer, who stood against the ledge of the roof. He stared at her, confused. "Jim," she said softly.

He answered with a nod and "Ariel." The red head approached him slowly, reaching into her breast pocket—the one Sarah had so graciously sewed in for her—and fished out the now neatly folded map. She halted before Jim when she was only five feet away, holding it up for him to see.

"I think you should give this a chance," she said clearly.

Jim's eyes widened, his thick brows rising quickly. Then, he turned angry. "You _what?_"

"Did I stutter? I said—" "You have no idea what my past was like, don't start demanding things of me like that!" Jim cut her off, growling.

Ariel flinched a little, but stood her ground. She made an equally angry sneer and rumbled, "And you know nothing of my past other than that I was a mermaid. Do you know about my parents?"

The spacer looked a little remorseful, replying, "No, but you don't know what this man has done to my family."

The red head exhaled heavily, blinking up at him. He looked so…sad, but also angry, mortified, awkward, and confused. She'd felt like that before. Ariel decided to give his heart some peace. She walked past him, heaved herself on to the ledge and plopped down. Her feet dangling over the side, she stated, "Join me, Jim."

He did. When he was seated properly, she craned her neck to meet his eyes. Ariel and Jim shared a candid moment of staring, the emerald and sapphire meeting with a spark. That moment was cut off when Jim turned his head away, glowering over the edge of the inn. The red head said softly, "My father dislikes humans. Do you know why?"

Jim pursed his lips, thinking. Then he answered, "Because humans eat fish, go whaling, and pollute the sea?"

As though the truthful words had stung Ariel, she swallowed a lump in her throat and murmured, "Partially…but there's also another reason. Bigger than all of that other stuff."

The spacer lifted his head and raised his eyebrows at her, completely absorbed. Ariel took a shaky breath and closed her eyes, reminiscing. She opened her mouth, letting the words drown her thoughts.

"My mother was the queen of Atlantica. King Triton and Queen Athena; people said my parents were really in love. My mother was a beautiful mermaid, and she loved each and every single one of us so much. We used to sing together, songs of our folk and the kingdom, and people said my mother and I resembled each other the most, it was eerie," she started, tugging a lock of hair.

Jim took the pause as opportunity to say, "Then she must have been really pretty."

Ariel blushed, only to respond, "She was beautiful. The most beautiful queen Atlantica had ever seen."

The spacer cringed at the continued use of the word "was". He knew where this was going and he didn't want to pain Ariel into saying this. He put a hand on her back, stating, "You don't have to…"

"No!" Ariel raged, glaring into his green eyes. "I need you to hear this," she muttered. She swallowed the lump in her throat, then continued, "One day, on my parents' anniversary, pirates attacked…and my mother was crushed by their ship. I was really young….but I can still distinctively remember the crack of her bones…and the blood….I'd never seen so much."

That's when Jim lost it. He shouted, "OK! OK! I'm sorry I yelled at you! I'm sorry I made my mother cry! I-I know what you're trying to tell me, I just…." He trailed off, shaking his head with a sigh. "Please…don't guilt me into it."

Ariel was lost. "I'm….not trying to guilt you into anything, Jim," she whispered, a tear falling from her eye. "I just wanted you to appreciate what you have. Living parents. I'd do anything to take my mother's place under that ship."

"Don't say that," Jim chastised, capturing her face in his hands. "Don't ever say that!"

More tears flowed down Ariel's face, and she murmured shakily, "That's why my father didn't want me to join you here. You're a pirate, er, spacer, and he's afraid the same thing might happen to me."

Blinking, Jim replied, "He's wrong. That won't happen to you."

"I know. You'd protect me," Ariel returned with a weak smile. "But this isn't about me, or my mother. This is about you and your father. There's still time to reconcile."

Jim slouched, sighing. "I….can't. He left my mother and I when I just a kid. He abandoned us."

Edging closer to him, she whispered, "You can still tell him that, you know. If you use this map," she raised the paper, "you can explain to him exactly how you feel. It'll be therapeutic."

Scoffing, the spacer swung his legs over the edge and gave Ariel a hand to help her off. She gratefully took it and stood beside him, pressing the paper into his hands. "I'll be there, if you want. I'll help you through it."

"Why?" Jim asked, clasping his hand around her hands.

"Because," Ariel said gently, eyes glimmering, "I know if you'd been there, you would've helped me, too."

Jim's face brightened. He took a deep breath, saying, "Thank you…"

"I'll be right there," she reminded him, "like always." She turned around and walked downstairs, presumably to get dressed. Jim looked over to where his solar surfer stood and approached it, gearing up to ready it. "Never far behind," he whispered, smiling.


End file.
